Nowadays people forget their sleep and are either busy with their work or get busy with smartphones. Just like nutrients, foods, and water, getting enough sleep is essential to good health. If enough sleep is not taken, many health-related problems can occur. In this article on Myhealthonly, we are explaining the lack of sleep side effects in detail. Along with the side effects of getting a lack of sleep, information about how much sleep should be taken in a day is also given.
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Let’s start the article with information about the lack of sleep side effects.
Side Effects Of Lack Of Sleep
Inadequate sleep or, say, lack of sleep, can be seen physically and mentally. Here we are telling the lack of sleep side effects.
- Weak immunity
Sleep deprivation is believed to affect not only the immune system but overall health as well. According to the website of NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), sleep has a strong association with the immunological process. For this reason, it is said that if someone does not get enough sleep for a long time, then he may have immunodeficiency (weakening of the immune system).
It has been told in research that lack of sleep or not sleeping properly at night shows a state of stress. In such a situation, both lacks of sleep and stress can work together to weaken immunity and have a negative effect on general health. Studies consistently demonstrate that sleep promotes a favorable immune response by acting against invading antigens.
Research also mentions that even vaccines that protect against diseases do not work properly on people who sleep less. Even after applying the vaccine, instead of avoiding the disease, a person can become more vulnerable to that disease. Studies show that due to lack of sleep, the vaccine activates the immune system, but loses its ability to protect against bacteria and viruses.
- Mood disturbances
A bad mood can also be included in the lack of sleep. Actually, lack of sleep and sleep quality is directly related not only to our brain functioning but also to our emotions, which can also have an effect on our mood.
According to research, a normal person needs at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night to maintain mental and physical health. If there is insufficient sleep, there will be a change in mood and the person may become irritable. It can also cause problems like anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
According to research, lack of sleep affects the mood of adults, adolescents, and children alike. Due to a bad mood, mental state can also have a negative effect. Not only does this increase aggression, but it can also lead to quick anger.
- Fertility
One of the side effects of getting a lack of sleep is the bad effect on fertility. In fact, continuous sleep deprivation can also reduce sperm count and their survival rate. Also, getting a lack of sleep increases the level of anti-sperm antibodies, which further damages the sperms. It can also affect fertility.
In another research on women, it has been confirmed that the problem of lack of sleep or insomnia affects women more than men. Actually, lack of sleep affects both women’s ability to conceive and reproductive hormones. Also, lack of sleep can negatively affect menstruation, pregnancy, menopause.
- The problem of obesity
Persistent lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can also increase the risk of obesity. According to research done on this topic, sleep duration of 5 hours or less leads to an increase in BMI (Body Mass Index) i.e. body fat. Not only sleeping less but due to sleep disturbances, there is a risk of obesity in the future.
Research has also found that ghrelin, the hormone that increases appetite, also increases with lack of sleep. Not only this, the level of leptin, the hormone that gives a feeling of food satiety, starts decreasing due to sleep. Due to this, there is a desire to eat again and again at night and extra calories start accumulating in the body, due to which fat can increase. For this reason, it is said that sleeping fewer increases the risk of obesity.
- Depression
Inadequate sleep is also a reason for the problem of depression. Research on sleep and depression also confirms this. Research has found that getting a lack of sleep increases the risk of depression by 25 to 38 percent. Lack of sleep also makes you more prone to mood swings, which is a symptom of depression. Also, poor quality of sleep has a direct effect on our brain system, which can lead to mood swings and depression.
- Problems of Aging
Aging means that the signs of aging on the skin before age can also be due to insufficient sleep. According to research, due to lack of sleep, fine lines, uneven pigmentation, and loss of elasticity of the skin can be reduced. Research also confirms that those with insufficient sleep look more tired, have drooping eyelids, red and puffy eyes. Along with this, dark circles under the eyes, the skin becomes pale and more wrinkles appear.
- Blood Pressure Problems
High blood pressure can also occur due to lack of sleep and short sleep duration. Research on this shows that lack of sleep, short sleep duration, and poor quality of sleep are all related to high blood pressure. Indeed, sleep deprivation or a change in sleep quality acts as a neurobiological and physiological stressor, which impairs brain function. It can also increase the risk of hypertension.
- Cancer
Cancer can also be included in the disadvantages of getting less sleep. According to research, the risk of cancer-causing tumors may increase due to lack of sleep or lack of sleep. It is also mentioned in the research that due to lack of sleep, the risk of breast cancer is higher. In fact, getting enough sleep can increase levels of the hormone melatonin, which has antiproliferative effects. The antiproliferative effect may help inhibit the formation of cancer cells. In such a situation, if a person gets less sleep, then the level of melatonin is affected and the risk of cancer can increase.
- Digestion Problems
Poor quality of sleep not only affects a person mentally but its effect can also be seen in the form of digestive disorders. In research, it is mentioned that sleep disturbances trigger digestive disorders as well as many types of intestinal disorders. These disorders include gastrointestinal disorders such as acidosis, peptic diseases, intestinal inflammation, liver diseases, etc.
Apart from this, pain in the upper abdomen, heartburn, increased appetite or flatulence, nausea, vomiting, and gastric acid problems can also occur due to lack of sleep. Not only this, poor sleep can worsen the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, affecting the quality of life.
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Next in the article, we are telling how much sleep is needed at what age.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
From a healthy child to an adult, the need for different sleep duration varies from around the clock.
- The newborn should get 16 to 18 hours of sleep
- 10 to 12 hours of sleep is necessary for children
- Teens need 9 to 10 hours of sleep
- Adults should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day
Of course, diet and exercise help keep the body healthy, but along with all this, getting enough sleep is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Even a little carelessness in this regard can later take the form of the disease. We have already mentioned above that not getting enough sleep can lead to premature aging. Just take full sleep and keep yourself young and fresh away from diseases.
Frequently Asked Questions –
Yes, lack of sleep can make you sick. Due to this, the immune system is weakened, due to which many types of infections and diseases can occur. Also, sleeping less can also increase digestive problems.
Not being able to sleep even when we are tired can be a sign of sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Yes, sleep helps fight infection. Actually, good sleep can increase immunity and act against antigens that damage the body. This can reduce the risk of infection.
